HIV was identified in 1983. By that time, Donald Francis was already researching the virus in a Centers for Disease Control lab. Years later, with Francis’ help, the Bay Area company Genentech initiated efforts to develop a vaccine. At Genentech, candidate vaccines effectively protected chimpanzees from HIV infection and human trials were initiated. From Genentech, to a spin-off called VaxGen, and later to a nonprofit company called Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases, Francis has been a fierce advocate for the creation of an HIV vaccine.